Thursday, September 27, 2012

eViL G's Weekly Picks - September 29 Edition

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﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿Are you better off than you were four years ago?I keep hearing this question lately, and depending on the individual asking I feel like I’m being led to a certain conclusion.

If you believe one particular politician, there’s no way you could be better off, what with unemployment still high and our national deficit increasing almost exponentially.This person also believes if you voted a certain way four years ago, you have no personal accountability for your life.He also suggests if you want to start a business, get a loan from mom and dad…because everyone’s parents have money just sitting around to loan their kids, right?

Now if you believe the other guy, of course you’re better off.Chances are your 401K is trending back in the right direction, Bin Laden is dead, General Motors is alive, and the housing sector is turning around.This person also has gigantic ears, and as of yesterday goofed up again during a campaign speech where he vowed to “export jobs”, then corrected himself to say “export products”.If you started your own successful business, there’s a good possibility you won’t be voting for this guy based on some other infamous comments.

Personally, at the end of the day, neither candidate is responsible for choices I made a long time ago that have either directly or indirectly led to my particular position in life. I'm sure your situation is no different.

What does any of this have to do with college football?

Read on…and vote…

PICKS!!!

Alabama at Ole Miss

Four years ago, right around this time, Ole Miss pulled off a shocking upset in Gainesville prompting Tim Tebow’s immortal “promise” speech.For Ole Miss fans it probably feels like 40 years ago.Meanwhile back in 2008, Alabama was Tebow’s final SEC victim before leading UF to its third national championship.Since then Alabama’s made the entire nation their bitch, and there appears to be no end in sight.

Crimson Tide – 42

Crimson Tide’s Bitch - 10

Ohio State at Michigan State

In spite of hiring a high profile coach, nothing’s really changed in Columbus.Those of us down in God’s conference readily acknowledge Ohio State is the Big 10’s premiere program, while at the same time acknowledging what a joke the Big 10 is.Urban Meyer left Gainesville to get away from Nick Saban, but he still has to go though Nick Saban for Buckeye fans to be truly satisfied.Good luck with that…Big 10 titles might grow on trees in Columbus, but Urban Meyer is at least two recruiting classes away from being a 13-point underdog to the SEC champion.

Sparty – 21

Bucks – 19

Texas at Oklahoma State

Back in 2008, Texas got screwed out of a national title shot, where my Gators would have stomped a mudhole in Colt McCoy’s ass.We had to settle for Sam Bradford’s ass instead.Since then Texas got a mudhole stomped in them by Alabama in the national title game, followed by its first losing season in a LONG time.A year later their coach-in-waiting got tired of waiting and bolted for Gainesville.The Longhorn Network hasn't exactly taken off as expected.Given the financial and geographic advantages, you almost wonder why Texas isn’t a Top 5 team every season…then you realize career underachiever Mack Brown is the CEO.

Pokes – 38

Horns – 35

Florida State at South Florida

Nearly four years ago, USF appeared to be an up and coming program, at one point rising to #2 in the BCS.South Florida even beat the Seminoles at Doak Campbell if I’m not mistaken.Then Matt Grothe graduated and Jim Leavitt went nuts.Around this time in Tallahassee, Papa Bowden was asleep at the wheel, coming perilously close to driving FSU’s football program off a cliff.Now USF can’t beat Ball State, and FSU might be the nation’s only hope to dethrone the SEC as this season’s national champion.FSU comes out flat after reading all week about how great they are, and then lays the wood to USF.

Noles – 38

Bulls – 13

…and finally

Tennessee at Georgia

Ask a Tennessee fan if they’re better off today versus four years ago, and you get a mixed bag.The Vols aren’t losing to the likes of Wyoming at home anymore, but they’re still looking up at Florida and Alabama.Expectations took a huge hit two weeks ago when the Vols seemingly quit after the Mighty Gators took a whopping 7-point lead in the THIRD QUARTER…in front of a national television audience and ESPN Gameday in their back yard.

Leadership issues at the top have many Vol fans waxing poetic to the days of Phil Fulmer clapping on the sidelines, “fighting like heck” for the Big Orange.At this point in his coaching career, Derek Dooley is to Vince Dooley what Marvis Frazier was to Joe Frazier.

Leadership on the field is also questionable.Tyler Bray has a million dollar arm, but appears to be mentally weak when faced with modest levels of adversity…and he’s about as mobile as my grandmother without her walker.All that said, this is Tennessee’s best team since 2007, and they will go as far as Tyler Bray’s head and Sunseri’s defense will take them.

Over in Athens, expectations are high, which historically spells doom for UGA.Four years ago Georgia was pre-season #1, followed by epic beatdowns at the hands of Alabama (no black outs since then) and Florida (no team end zone celebrations since then).Trindon Sturdivant just blew out his ACL attempting to read this paragraph.

UGA arguably has the SEC’s best QB in Aaron Murray, and without question the SEC’s best football player in Jarvis Jones.The Dawgs seem to lose one stud tailback, only to replace him with another stud tailback. Mark Richt is a steady leader, and UGA always contends for the East…but is that enough to pacify one of the most delusional fan bases on the planet?

Georgia is the better football team, and they should win this game playing at home.My views on Derek Dooley are well documented.I don’t think he lasts past the 2013 season if he makes it that far.

The bigger question is whether or not UGA is worthy of their #5 ranking.We won’t know until they play Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.If they don’t make it to Atlanta, then clearly UGA is no better off now than four years ago…in which case I’m all for the status quo.